The AHL Board of Governors conditionally approved the sale of the Springfield Falcons from Charlie Pompea to the team's NHL affiliate, the Arizona Coyotes, on Tuesday.

Assuming that the conditions of the transaction are met, the Falcons will move to Tucson, Ariz., for the start of the 2016-17 season this fall. The newly relocated team will play at the Tucson Convention Center Arena.

The board is now reviewing the application for the Portland Pirates to move from Portland, Maine to Springfield for the upcoming season. They are expected to reconvene to vote on that matter within the next two weeks.

The Pirates are the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, and the team had been based in Portland since 1993. Last year, their average attendance was 29th in the AHL, ranking ahead of only the Falcons.